Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 602(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
“That don’t mean shit, TT.” Jo shrugged. “Dude killed a cat for no reason tonight. I don’t want my sister around him.”
Aunt Min spoke. “Monique is too important to my brother for him to kill her this evening.”
Aunt Suzi nodded. “And he wants to die only by Lei’s hands. Therefore, he has plans, and I believe Monique will be back with us tomorrow night.”
Aunt Min pointed at me. “I just think that when you and her realized Leo was here, you should have told all of us—”
“Moni figured it out first and rushed off.” I shrugged. “Without thinking, I came after her and didn’t realize he was here until I saw Uncle Song’s monks at the door—”
“Then, you should have grabbed us.” Aunt Min scowled. “Not run up—”
“He was with TT. Sorry if we didn’t stand around thinking of all the best possible ways to handle it—”
“Don’t get that tone with me! He’s killed my men and—”
“Men that did a piss poor job of protecting TT.” I sneered. “Men that didn’t even get a chance to signal to us that he was on the property. Men that are now dead and bound to the ceiling upstairs.”
A tear streamed down Aunt Min’s cheek.
Banks took a step forward. “How the fuck did Leo even get around here without anyone knowing? I thought the East was about that life—”
“There must be secret passageways around here.” Einstein scanned the walls. “My understanding was that he designed the East. Someone like him would have secret ways to get in and out that even his family wouldn’t know about.”
TT bobbed her head. “There’s a secret passageway in my closet. That’s how they left.”
I caught Dima frowning as he jotted things down in his notebook.
TT continued. “Moni would be upset if you all started fighting. And. . .she would be disappointed if anyone disrespected Lei when he’s already going through enough.”
The tension in the space didn’t dissipate but it shifted.
Banks still looked furious. “I love you, TT, but I’m taking you, Chloe, and Jo back to the South. This shit is getting out of hand.”
“Hold up now.” Jo frowned, stepping forward. “I may not be a fan of the East right now, but if Moni wanted us here, then that’s where we’ll be.”
I finally found my voice. “You’re all welcome to stay in the Palace tonight. That means an open invitation to Rowe Street Mob. The girls should be comfortable and with family.”
Banks' eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up while Marcelo's mouth dropped open.
Even Einstein’s expression softened with understanding.
Yeah. That’s right. I’ll be nice while Moni is gone.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “What are you all going to do?”
Banks nodded. “Of course I’m staying with my cousins. Mom will want to stay too.”
“We’ve got plenty of room.” I put my gaze on Marcelo. “And you?”
Marcelo glanced at Einstein, who gave him a small nod.
Marcelo turned back to me. “We’ll stay.”
“There we go.” I gestured at Duck. “Get the pilots ready so we can start helicoptering everyone over.”
Nodding, he pulled out his phone and left the space.
Banks grumbled, clearly not happy with the decision but reluctantly accepting it. “That’s good and all but how the fuck are we getting Moni back tonight?”
“No one is doing anything tonight.” I raised a hand, halting Banks' next outburst. “She’s with my father so we cannot risk a confrontation with him. That would only put her at risk. I can’t do that. We’ll have to wait to get her back tomorrow at the battle.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Banks’s voice got shaky. “That’s a whole night Moni would be with a psychopath.”
Chloe sobbed.
“Making rash decisions won't help Moni.” I lowered my hand. “We need to calm down, think rationally and then decide our next move and that is getting Chloe, Jo, and TT in their rooms and safe.”
TT's voice piped up again. “Uncle Leo said he won’t hurt Moni.”
Banks snapped at her. “He’s not your uncle!”
TT looked down at her hands and my rage rose.
“Calm down, Banks.” I sneered at him. “Taking anything out on TT is only going to get you and me fighting.”
“This motherfucker.” Still, Banks let out a long breath and looked at her. “Sorry, TT. You know I wasn’t trying to be mean to you. I’m just pissed about the situation.”
TT nodded, but still didn’t look up. “I know.”
Duck returned. “The helicopters will be ready to start transporting everyone in five minutes.”
Banks put his view on Duck. “Where the fuck was you when this shit went down?”
Duck didn’t appear the least bit pleased with Banks speaking to him. “I was at the same place you were, doing the Electric Slide—”
“Yeah, but I wasn’t supposed to be on guard. Maybe, if you were doing your job—”
“Don’t think you can come to the East and tell me anything.”
“My cousin should have been safe here!” Banks jabbed a finger at the air and then put his view back on me. “If you are going to make her the Mountain Mistress then treat her like that and get more men on her. I had men on her and you fucking killed them on Mount Utopia. If they were here, instead of there. . .things would have been—”